


Ignorant Knowledge/Knowledge of Ignorance

by MrsHamill



Series: Jedi Code Breakers [2]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Mission Fic, Mutual Pining, Other, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-02-01
Updated: 2000-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-21 07:58:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6044056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsHamill/pseuds/MrsHamill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>2nd in the series. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan return to a familiar planet to help with a crisis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ignorant Knowledge/Knowledge of Ignorance

**Author's Note:**

> Mere thanks are insufficient to Fox who gave one of the best betas possible. Maybe I shouldn't have said that... now everyone will want to use her and keep her from writing! Oh, and btw, anybody who thinks I know what I'm talking about in the conference room scene has got strudel in their noodle. It's all BS.

_There is no emotion, there is peace  
there is no ignorance, there is knowledge  
there is no passion, there is serenity  
there is no death, there is the Force  
  
  
Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.  
Jedi use their powers to defend and protect, never to attack others.  
Jedi respect all life in any form.  
Jedi serve others rather than rule over them, for the good of the galaxy.  
Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training._   
  


* * *

>It is not talked about, not openly admitted (except perhaps by a very few), but we Jedi are supposed to be better than anyone else. We're supposed to be more intelligent, more adaptable, more of every kind of good attribute there is -- including, of course, just plain good. And Force knows we're not. We're only mortal (well, most of us are although I wonder about Master Yoda), and we're fallible. Oh, yes, quite fallible.  
  
I don't know how many times I've sat to dinner at one of the Masters' tables and listened to the blow-hards around me, managing to hold my tongue only with effort. Perhaps if I get to be 900 years old I can abandon tact and decorum and say what I mean, but for now I cannot. And it bothers me to hear my alleged peers espouse their ideas as if they were gospel, as if there were no chance they could be wrong.  
  
If Jedi are anything, they are perpetual students. We never stop learning, at least I never do -- and there is always something new to learn, something new under some sun. I take such delight in making new discoveries, having pet theories proven wrong that it rather surprises and dismays me that another Jedi could feel differently. Perhaps I am not really fit to be a Jedi...or perhaps the Jedi are not fit to have me.  
  
Ah, but down that prideful path one finds the dark side. And I am nothing if not a servant of the Light.  
  
I think -- I hope -- I've managed to instill my love of learning into my apprentice, or perhaps there again I'm being too prideful, perhaps it was there all along. But I cannot help but believe that had I not helped him on his present path, his natural curiosity would not have flourished as well as it has. I encourage him to challenge me, to truly _think_ instead of simply accepting blindly. And he does, very well -- in fact, almost too well, and I must admit that this is one of the reasons why I have come to admire him so highly. That's all it is, I tell myself over and over again, admiration for the marvelous, beautiful young man he has become. Admiration.  
  


* * *

I am so glad I have the Master I have. Who else in the entire Jedi Temple would have, could have, encouraged me as much as he, helped me over the rough spots, inspired me to such heights? Looking back on our years together, I see where time and again his subtle machinations have pulled the best out of me, helped me do what I did not think I could.  
  
The teaching Masters in the Temple are good at pounding facts and figures into young heads, and they have done well for me too. Some things just must be memorized, must be made almost a part of one's DNA before being completely understood. But the patience, persistence and, yes, love, my Master has given me over the years has given me that extra boost of self-esteem that has allowed me to excel.  
  
For example, I've always had a love of things mechanical and electrical. Shortly after I became his Padawan, my Master came home unexpectedly from a brief solo mission to find I had taken apart nearly every single small appliance in our quarters. He barely said a word, just helped me put them all back together again and the next day signed me up for theoretical mechanics, bypassing two prerequisites. The class was harder than any I had ever taken, but he knew I was ready. And he was right, to my surprise -- and my teacher's.  
  
He has just always been there, pushing me, supporting me, goading me to do better, even when I thought I had been doing my best. Although I don't know if I ever will be able to, I can only hope to emulate him when I someday take a Padawan. Our relationship is special and, well, different, not like a lot of the other Master/Padawan pairings in the Temple. I'm not sure why this is so, actually. Other Padawans must love their Masters as much as I love mine. I'm sure of it.  
  


* * *

Master Qui-Gon Jinn entered the quarters he shared with his Padawan just as said Padawan groaned in anguish. Obi-Wan was sitting at the comm unit, his head cradled in hands that tore at his hair. Through the link they shared, the Master could tell that his student was in no real, i.e. physical, distress, so he kept his voice calm.  
  
"What is it, Obi-Wan?" he asked mildly, coming to stand behind the younger man.  
  
Obi-Wan turned anguished eyes on his Master. "Master Gib-Walh has picked me to lead the debate next month! Oh, Master, tell me the Council gave you an assignment off planet for a nice long period?" The young man's voice was almost a whine and Qui-Gon had to work to keep the smile off his face.  
  
"Now, Padawan, is that any way to look on such an honor? I'm sure Gib-Walh wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't think you could do it. Why has it gotten you into such a state?" Leaning down, Qui-Gon looked at the display and read the topic; "The Role of the Trade Federation in Malastairian Government." "Looks fairly straightforward to me, Obi-Wan."  
  
Gaping at him, his student said, "But Master! He wants me to take the anti position! Everybody knows that the Trade Federation has Malastair in its pocket. How can I debate the absence of such a thing?" Obi-Wan turned back to the display and so missed the frown his Master directed at him. "It's just impossible. Master Gib-Walh hates me."  
  
"Obi-Wan. That is enough. How often have I counseled you on the dangers of prejudice? And now I hear you espousing it twice in the same breath. I think this calls for some exercises in patience and tolerance, as well as a lecture from your Master on why 'everyone' just might be wrong about Malastair." Qui-Gon's voice was stern, one eyebrow raised, but he had to fight back a smile at his student's reaction to his words.  
  
Shock, then dismay followed quickly by resignation and a deep, heartfelt sigh. Obi-Wan responded, "Yes, Master." Qui-Gon had to turn around quickly lest his student see the grin that broke through, and so missed it when Obi-Wan dimpled in his own grin.  
  
"Well, then, unfortunately I also have to tell you that you'll be doing these exercises on transport, because yes, the Council is sending us out. Tomorrow."  
  
Qui-Gon moved into the kitchenette as he spoke and began assembling a small lunch for the two of them. Obi-Wan followed him, dialing them both fruit juice and putting water on to boil for tea. "I can't very well lie and say I'm disappointed Master," he admitted, "but I'm sure in some cosmic retribution it's someplace awful like Hoth."  
  
Passing his student a large sandwich, Qui-Gon sat at the table with him, chuckling over his comment. "No. Not Hoth. But not easy either, Padawan. Do you remember the settlement out on Ulaan?"  
  
Swallowing a bite of sandwich hastily, Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up and he said, "Yes! Moshe and his father! Is that where we're going?"  
  
Chuckling, Qui-Gon said, "Lev is now the governor of the Ulaan settlement, and I believe Moshe is working as his aide. Which might not help us, actually." He paused to take a bite of his own meal and felt his Padawan's eyes on him questioningly. "They've been accused of attempted genocide, Obi-Wan."  


* * *

  
Some four years before, when Obi-Wan was 16, the pair had been assigned to shepherd a group of evacuees to their new home. It was a large group, comprised of about 400,000 people -- most of whom were in cold-sleep -- in three slow moving ships. It was the final group of refugees from a planet whose sun had gone unstable, thereby making their home unlivable. These were the last, stubborn hold-outs, the ones who had waited to make sure everyone else was safely away and resettled before leaving themselves; the reluctant to depart; the scientists studying the instability; and those with no other family.  
  
For this group, an unsettled planet known as Ulaan had been chosen by the Senate. A preliminary survey had been done of the planet, showing it was habitable if unremarkable, and the Jedi's job was to see to it they were safely landed, avoiding confrontations with pirates and other exploiters, and to help them set up and get settled on what was to be their new home.  
  
The Master and apprentice spent almost a year on the lead vessel and subsequently on the planet, and during that time Obi-Wan had become fast friends with Lev Moshe, the son of the executive officer. His father, Lev Andrus, and Qui-Gon had worked well together once the destination was reached, and Qui-Gon credited the man for averting many possible disasters. It did not surprise him that the senior Lev was now the planetary Governor.  
  
What did surprise him was the accusations of genocide. As the population emerged from cold-sleep, he had found them to be a very peaceable, agrarian people, not given to extremes of passion; and more, the planet had not been inhabited with higher life forms. It simply did not make sense, either to Master or to Padawan. The two of them spent the days in transit carefully going over what little briefing material they had.  
  
It became readily apparent that the settlers had done well for themselves. Small cities flourished on both continents, as opposed to just the one originally settled, and in less than four years they had become virtually self-sufficient, a remarkable feat. This appeared to be in large part due to deposits of amatite discovered when the second continent was settled. And, apparently, therein lay the problem.  
  
The deposits of the relatively rare and quite useful metal lay under an area that was dominated by an extremely large species of plant that were known locally as shimmer trees. They were not, of course, trees; the resemblance was superficial only and apparently they were not even individual plants as each one grew from an underground network of roots. Very tall and smooth boled, their 'leaves' were crystalline in nature which led to the 'shimmer' of the plant's name. The species was comprised mainly of silicon, which was logical as amatite was derived from silicon.  
  
Shimmer trees lay at the heart of the controversy. The settlers quite naturally had begun wholesale clearing of the plants once the amatite was found. This caused certain people -- since determined to be low level Force sensitives -- in the immediate area to go into a catatonic state. When word of the phenomenon got out, a commission from the off-planet Sentient Species League came to investigate and made some startling discoveries, halting all mining and destruction.  
  
According to the commission's findings -- made without the use of higher level sensitives -- the plants themselves were actually more than just alive, they were sentient, and had the ability to communicate through the Force. Allegedly. Whether this was true or not was what the Jedi were sent to investigate.  
  


* * *

  
When last they had seen the capitol city of Primus, it was a sleepy, half finished town just beginning to grow. Now, it was a bustling metropolis of over a hundred thousand with a large, busy spaceport. As it had been a meticulously planned community, it still managed to retain the clean lines and well designed buildings of a small town. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were met at their shuttle by a soberly robed young man instantly recognizable by his shock of orange-red hair and freckles; Lev Moshe bowed low to the two Jedi.  
  
"Ulaan welcomes the esteemed Jedi to our humble home," he said precisely, his dancing eyes belying the seriousness of his words. "On behalf of my father, the Governor, and the Parliament of Peers, I hope your stay will be happy and your days content."  
  
Qui-Gon smiled gently. The boy he well remembered from his previous visit had grown into a young man of remarkable poise, much like his own Padawan. "Now that that's over, come give me a hug, Moshe. You've grown, son."  
  
Laughing, the young man did so, then enthusiastically turned to Obi-Wan, hugging him tightly too. "Little green gods, Obi, Master Jinn, it's great to see you! Father wanted so much to meet you but he had an appearance scheduled for the last six months he couldn't get out of. So I'm to get you settled and we'll all have dinner together tonight."  
  
Obi-Wan laughed along with his friend, pounding him on the back while hugging him. "It's great to see you too, Moshe. I can't believe it's been so long!"  
  
The three friends chatted comfortably as porters saw to their luggage and loaded it onto a transport. Both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had good things to say about how lovely the city looked and were properly impressed at Moshe's description of the achievements of the last four years. By unspoken agreement, no mention was made of the real reason for the Jedi's visit.  
  
The transport arrived at their destination, a hotel specifically for visiting dignitaries, and their luggage was off-loaded. Moshe had already seen to their check-in and had their rooms ready for them; a small suite with two generously sized bedrooms sharing a large, modern 'fresher. "A far cry from the tent you lived in when we first arrived, eh sir?" the young man asked, laughing.  
  
"Yes, Moshe, and a nice surprise." Sitting down on the small divan, Qui-Gon removed his boots with a sigh of pleasure. "Why don't you two go somewhere and talk, spend some time alone together. When and where is dinner to be Moshe?"  
  
"Two hours, at the mansion..." Moshe started, as Obi-Wan said, "but Master..."  
  
Chuckling, the older man waved them off. "Go on, Obi-Wan, I'll unpack for us and sit for a while at ease. You two have an hour to talk and get reacquainted then pick me up here. All right?" Grateful for the chance, and mindful that his Master wanted as much unadulterated information on the situation as possible, Obi-Wan grinned, sketched a bow to his mentor and left in his friends wake.  
  
Moshe immediately dragged him outside to a nearby green-space, chattering all the while. "Do you remember those plants we put in while you were here, Obi? You've got to see the park around them now! I know how you Jedi like gardens..."  
  
Obi-Wan laughed. "You mean they're still there?" he asked, breathlessly keeping up with his friend as they entered the public park.  
  
"Oh, yes, and more! Come and see!"  
  
The park was large and rolling, with gravel pathways and stately trees interspersed over well maintained grass. Near the center, shaded by flowering trees, was a small area surrounded by a wrought-iron fence. Inside were low bushes and flowers, a little oasis of color in the lovely greenness. Obi-Wan smiled, reading a small plaque commemorating the Jedi and their help in settling Ulaan.  
  
"This is wonderful, Moshe," he said, sitting on the ground and pulling his friend down to flop next to him. "I can't believe it's still here after all this time."  
  
"Oh, yes," his friend answered, reaching out to pluck a flower from a bush. "This is one of those special places we use to remember where we came from and how we got here. That's what Da says, anyways," he finished with a grin to his friend. "I know how much you love plants and stuff. I've been very careful to tend this part of the park for years now."  
  
Touched by the sentiment, Obi-Wan smiled at his friend and got a tug on his braid in answer. "You still wearing this? I thought you'd be a Knight by now."  
  
"No. Got a few more years for that," Obi-Wan said in answer. "I'm still making up for all the pranks you and I pulled on board the ship!"  
  
Eyes wide and caught between laughter and dismay, Moshe said, "Oh, no! You mean like the time we short-sheeted the purser?"  
  
"And the time we put the hot sauce in the stew..."  
  
"But that was an accident!"  
  
"Tell me another one, Mo'! Do you remember when we took that shuttle for a joyride?"  
  
"Oh little gods yes! I almost died at the look on your Master's face! And when he found us with the lightsabers down in the storage hold..."  
  
"And just whose bright idea was it to put the foamer in the bathwater?"  
  
"How was I to know it went into the commodes afterwards? Oh, do you remember that time in the hydroponics bay... when your Master almost caught us?"  
  
Flushing and laughing, Obi-Wan nodded, plucking his own flower from one of the nearby bushes. "I, um, I hate to tell you this, but he _did_ catch us...that's why he was so noisy when he came through the door the second time."  
  
Moshe gaped at him. "The SECOND time? Oh, little green gods," and it was the red-head's turn to flush scarlet. It did not match his hair. "I think I'm glad you didn't tell me until now, Obi," he groaned, theatrically throwing himself prone on the grass. "Had I known then..."  
  
"You think it's embarrassing for you? I got a lecture on passion, serenity and releasing negative emotions into the force, PLUS he asked me, um, how far we went..." The two friends burst out laughing suddenly, overcome with hilarity at their youthful endeavors. "We really had some fun though, didn' t we?" Obi-Wan asked, grinning down at his friend.  
  
"Yep. I've missed you Obi. You were, I guess, my first real crush."  
  
"Same here, Mo'," the other boy answered softly. "I'm sorry I never kept up with the letters.."  
  
"Oh, it's all right," the other young man said, smiling openly. "I've been busy too. And I never knew where you'd be, just never on Coruscant."  
  
"It's been wild sometimes, Mo', that's for sure," Obi-Wan agreed, stretching out to lay by his friend. "My Master and I have had some very interesting trips. But I kept thinking someday I'd get back here on a vacation or something, just to see what I've missed in the last few years."  
  
"And when you finally make it back it's because of this," Moshe said, his voice taking on a bitter tinge has he flopped over onto his stomach. Obi-Wan frowned at his friend.  
  
"You don't sound too happy about it," he said slowly. "What's the matter?"  
  
A sigh and a head shake was his only reply. Hesitantly, Obi-Wan reached out and gently yanked on an earlobe. "Hey. It's me, remember? Your first kiss? Talk to me, Mo'. I didn't come all this way just to be ignored."  
  
The redhead grinned wryly and glanced up at his friend. "Ah, but who's talking? My buddy Obi or Jedi Padawan Kenobi?"  
  
Somewhat exasperated, Obi-Wan said, "I didn't know there was a difference! Oh, all right, if you won't talk about it..."  
  
A warm hand on his arm hushed him. "I'm sorry, Obi. This whole situation has got everybody on edge. Forgive me?"  
  
Smiling gently at his friend, Obi-Wan said, "How could I not? You're one of my best friends, Lev Moshe. Talk to me?"  
  
Turning back over and sitting up, Moshe stared into the middle distance as he said, "What's to tell? Da's been accused of genocide over a bunch of trees."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned. "There's more to it than that, Mo'. And it's not just your father accused you know."  
  
"Oh, I know," the other answered. "But he's the Governor. He'll take the ultimate blame. You know his sith-damned sense of honor." His fingers unconsciously shredded the small flower in his hand as he continued. "That amatite is the best thing that's ever happened to us. Because of it, we've been able to build hospitals and roads and we've built up a surplus for hard times too. Nobody really agreed with the way it had to be mined -- I mean, the shimmer trees are lovely and if there was any other way to do it other than destroying them... but Obi! They're just trees. Trees aren't sentient. They don't think, dammit."  
  
Obi-Wan sat up as well, carefully not looking at his friend. He drew one knee up to his chest and cocked his arm across it, studying the flower in his hand. When he didn't respond, Moshe flung the remains of his flower violently away. "Oh go ahead."  
  
"Go ahead what?" Obi-Wan asked gently.  
  
"The lecture. I can hear it already... you know I caught as many of them from your Master as you did."  
  
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan said, "No lecture, Mo'. We're here to figure out if these 'trees' are sentient or not. You know we'll be impartial." Gently, he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Neither Master Jinn nor I would do anything deliberately to hurt you or your father. Or your world for that matter. You settlers have done well here, and I can understand -- and I think others can too -- why this might be such a sensitive issue."  
  
"Ulantim." Moshe said suddenly, turning and looking his friend directly in the eyes.  
  
Confused, Obi-Wan said, "What? What do you mean?"  
  
"We're not settlers any more, Obi. We're Ulantim. This is home." He took a deep breath and continued, almost sadly, "And no crazy off-world tree-huggers will take it away from us. We've already lost one world, Obi. It won't happen again."  


* * *

  
It was a subdued duo who picked up Master Jinn at the hotel for the short walk to the Governor's Mansion. Qui-Gon gave his apprentice a questioning look but when he got a nearly imperceptible head-shake in reply, he resolved to ask later, when they were alone.  
  
Moshe had assured them the dinner was informal, more of a welcome from old friends than a state dinner, and this proved to be true. They were met at the door to the Mansion by an overly officious butler who immediately showed them into a drawing room adjoining a small dining room. A very tired looking older man was waiting for them there.  
  
"Governor Lev," Qui-Gon said, both he and Obi-Wan bowing formally to him, "the Jedi thank you for your hospitality and on behalf of the Senate, greet you."  
  
Suppressing a smile, the Governor bowed back to the Jedi. "On behalf of my world, I welcome the Jedi and wish you a pleasant stay. Please, come in, make yourselves comfortable." The Governor was a tall, portly human male with a great shock of snow white hair. His face was smooth except for a network of laugh lines around his eyes, and his voice was deep and soothing. Obi-Wan remembered him well, but thought he looked much older than four years would account for.  
  
As they moved to sit, the self-important, sour looking butler withdrew and the Governor chuckled in relief. "Now that he's gone...Qui-Gon my old friend. You are a sight for old eyes. And can this be little Obi-Wan?"  
  
Grasping the proffered hand firmly, Qui-Gon smiled back at the Governor. "It's wonderful to see you again, Andrus. Yes, it can be and is... they don't stay little for long do they?"  
  
Obi-Wan bowed. "Governor Lev," he murmured, smiling and shaking the older man's hand, then sitting with his Master.  
  
The Governor sighed, beaming at his son. "No, they have a distressing propensity for growing up, don't they. I trust Moshe has been taking good care of you?"  
  
"Of course," Qui-Gon smiled, "you can be proud of him, Andrus."  
  
"Oh, I am, I am, especially now that he's stopped putting foamer in the water supply."  
  
"Da!" Moshe groaned, grinning. His father laughed, but to the Jedi it sounded forced. A quick glance at his Master confirmed Obi-Wan's suspicions; all was not well here. A split second later, a stunning older woman joined them and the tension went up another notch, even as the men gained their feet again.  
  
"Ah, there you are darling," the Governor said, holding out his hand to the woman. "Please come in. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Lev Tighna, my wife. Tighna, Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi."  
  
Moshe, Obi-Wan observed, hung back as introductions were made towards his stepmother. Qui-Gon bent over the striking blonde's hand, murmuring, "Charmed, Fra Lev. Andrus, you never gave me a chance to say congratulations."  
  
As Obi-Wan copied his Master in bending over the lady's hand, she laughed musically. "Oh, please, Sir Jedi, call me Tighna." Straightening, Obi-Wan studied her quickly but carefully. She was a stunning tall, blonde, blue eyed woman. Although she appeared close to middle age, she had the firm body of a much younger woman. It was obvious she took great pride in her appearance; her face was as carefully and artfully made up as her hair was coifed. Her aura bothered him though; it was swirling with indeterminate but definitely negative emotions. "Shall we dine, gentlemen? The table is ready," she was saying, linking her arm with Qui-Gon's.  
  
Obi-Wan found himself entering the dining area with Moshe, whose face was carefully schooled into a neutrality that spoke volumes to his friend. "What's wrong, Mo'?" he asked quietly as they approached the table.  
  
Moshe just shook his head sharply, but his eyes as they locked onto Obi-Wan' s were dark.  
  
The Governor and his Lady sat at opposite ends of the small dining table. The Jedi flanked Fra Lev and Moshe sat at Obi-Wan's right, next to his father. During the soup and salad courses, Qui-Gon kept up a light, nonsensical chatter with the Governor and his Lady, which left Obi-Wan free to listen and observe the nuances; this had become a common practice between the Master and Padawan, and was a task that Obi-Wan took very seriously. Within a short period of time he became convinced of several things.  
  
First was that Moshe despised his stepmother. He barely looked at the woman during the meal, and when he had to address her used the term 'lady Mother' rather than more familiar words, such as 'Da' for father. It was also quite painfully obvious that Andrus was aware of the dislike and was unhappy about it. If Fra Lev knew about it, she didn't let it show -- either that, or she didn't care. Obi-Wan was beginning to lean towards the latter.  
  
The second thing he noticed was the nervousness of the Governor. As soon as his wife entered the room, the volume of his voice increased slightly, his eyes slid off others carefully, and there was a fine trembling in his fingers that someone else might not have perceived. The byplay between husband and wife was intriguing; she was all cool elegance and he was much like a small canine begging for favors at the altar of her beauty. This was NOT the Lev Andrus Obi-Wan well remembered from his extended visit before.  
  
Thirdly, the Padawan noticed Fra Lev herself. She barely noticed _him_ \-- all her attention was focused on his Master, even at the cost of her own husband and step-son. Her personality was slightly overwhelming, and only Obi-Wan could see how much it amused and bored his Master. After he felt he had wrung every drop of emotion and nuance out of the interplay at the table, he just sat back and enjoyed watching his Master turn on his not-inconsiderable charm.  
  
Not for nothing was Qui-Gon Jinn a Master. He flattered, he wheedled, he smiled ingratiatingly at Fra Lev and sympathetically at the Governor and his son. He listened with seeming attentiveness and intensity and when he had to speak, agreed with everything that was said before. Obi-Wan hid behind his careful mask of serenity and neutrality and just admired his Master, the perfect Jedi.  
  
The perfect man. Since their recent trip to Es'peir, Obi-Wan had become somewhat obsessed with his Master as a man... for it was only recently that he had come to think of Qui-Gon as other than just 'Master.' An he was coming to realize how dear the man behind the Master was to him. In fact, it was becoming a bit of a bother, since he knew he was looked on as his Master's apprentice and couldn't hope for more. And if he were completely honest with himself, he wasn't sure what, if anything, he wanted _as_ more.  
  
Abruptly, Obi-Wan came back to himself as his subconscious noted a distinct shift in the conversation and a heightening of tension at the table. He quickly rewound the conversation in his brain and realized the break had come with the words, 'obscene mining endeavors'. The phrase had been uttered by Fra Lev.  
  
"Really, darling," the Governor was saying softly, "I hardly think obscene is the proper word to use here."  
  
His wife's voice was light but her eyes glittered with malice. "I happen to think it is, my dear, and you are well aware of how I feel about this whole affair. Master Jinn, I'm sure, will agree with me as well as the Commission."  
  
Qui-Gon blinked slowly as he processed the suddenly tense dialog at the table. "Perhaps this is the time to discuss the situation in more depth. Although," he continued serenely, "you must realize we will make no judgments until the entire situation is thoroughly investigated."  
  
Governor Lev shot his old friend a look that was at once gratified and panicked. His wife ignored both her husband and the Jedi, and merely said, "Of course, of course. Why don't we take our caff to the sitting room where we can more easily discuss this. Perhaps Moshe would like to take Obi-Wan somewhere where they don't have to listen to such boring talk." It was a dismissal, and a rude one at that, and Obi-Wan felt Moshe tense beside him.  
  
Catching his Padawan's eye, Qui-Gon sent a wave of reassurance across the training bond. Obi-Wan's lips twitched into a slight smile and he ducked his head, taking Moshe's hand tightly in his own under the table. "If my Master wishes, I would be pleased to be excused," he murmured, allowing a touch of his own dismissal of Fra Lev's words color his acceptance. His Master's eyes commiserated with him, but his face remained composed.  
  
"Of a certain, Padawan. Stay nearby, please. We will be making it an early night."  
  


* * *

  
The door to the drawing room closed behind them and Moshe immediately began stalking off. Obi-Wan stretched to catch up with him, grabbing hold of his friend's arm as they approached a grand staircase. "Moshe. Wait. It's all right."  
  
"NO, it's NOT," the other young man growled, whirling on his friend. "Did you hear her? That bitch, that, that..."  
  
Squeezing the arm he held reassuringly, Obi-Wan interrupted, "Let's go somewhere where we can talk. Someplace quiet. You can tell me all about it. All right?"  
  
Seeming to deflate at his friend's words, Moshe scrubbed his face with one hand. "Oh, all right. Come on upstairs to my room. We can talk there."  
  
Moshe's room was large and well appointed, with a well used, state-of-the-art dataset and a working fireplace. The redhead threw himself down on the wide bed while Obi-Wan more decorously took one of the chairs near the computer, composing himself to listen. "How long has she been married to your father, Mo'?" he asked.  
  
"A little over a year now. Since he became Governor. She's like a leech, Obi, she latched herself to him and he just can't see what a horrible Sith-spawn she is."  
  
Shaking his head over his friend's words, Obi-Wan grimaced in sympathy. "Is it as bad as all that? Doesn't he love her... she love him?"  
  
A bitter laugh. "I don't think she knows what love is. She wants power, and Da was the best way she could get it. I think he loved her at first, but now... who knows. She's behind all this you know," he said, suddenly sitting up and looking full at Obi-Wan, who frowned in confusion. "She was the one that called the League and got the Commission out here. She was the one that stopped the mining of amatite. She's just convinced she's so powerful...thinks she's as good as a Jedi and has all these stupid mind abilities...When I heard you were coming, I was glad, Obi-Wan, and not just because you're my friend. Someone needs to take that woman down and the Jedi are perfect to do it."  
  
Obi-Wan blinked slowly, digesting this new information. "Well, I'll mention it to my Master, certainly, but Mo'..."  
  
"I know, I know," the other man said, holding up a hand and sighing. "You' re Jedi. You'll do the right thing and only the right thing. Just promise me something?"  
  
"What, Moshe?" Obi-Wan asked gently, reacting to his friend's obvious distress by rising to sit next to him on the bed.  
  
"Help Da." Moshe shook his head sharply in distress. "He just can't see what a snake he's let into his heart... and I'm so worried about him..."  
  
Draping one arm soothingly around his friend's shoulders, Obi-Wan hugged him tightly. "Don't worry. My Master will take care of everything. He always did in the past, remember?'  
  
A snort came from somewhere around Obi-Wan's chest as Moshe buried his face into his friend's tunics. "Oh, I remember. I just hope he can this time."  
  
The two young men sat together for a moment, Obi-Wan soothingly patting his friend's back. Finally Moshe looked up, unshed tears making his eyes bright. "Thanks, Obi."  
  
"It's all right," Obi-Wan murmured. "What are friends for?" Tentatively, he leaned down and brushed his lips against Moshe's, a delicate kiss that his friend seemed to want and need. Moshe smiled and pressed his own lips more firmly to Obi-Wan's, but it was still a chaste kiss that promised nothing more than friendship. Then he smiled wryly, and Obi-Wan was relieved to see it, a return to a semblance of normalcy.  
  
"If you two hang around long enough, there's someone I'd like you to meet," he said quietly. "She's become kind of special to me."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at his friend in real happiness. "Sounds good, Mo', I'd love to meet her."  
  


* * *

  
True to the words he had given his Padawan, Qui-Gon made it an early night. Actually, he found himself unable to stay more than an hour in the drawing room with the man his friend had become and Fra Lev. She did most of the talking, dwelling on the 'tragedy' on the other continent and remarking how much she wished her parents had let her train at the Temple on Courscant. Inwardly amused at this conceit, Qui-Gon just smiled and inclined his head; it was obvious to him that the woman was only marginally talented and her ego had cut her off from any contact with the living Force years before.  
  
Finally, he sent a gentle summons along the training bond he shared with his Padawan, then stood and made his excuses. Fra Lev was flustered; she had of a certainty expected more time with the Jedi, and made her interest in him quite plain, to Qui-Gon's disgust. He politely ignored it though, and instead embraced his friend the Governor warmly, to his wife's ill-concealed annoyance. By then, Obi-Wan and Moshe had turned up, both smiling and looking a bit disheveled, which bothered the Master on a level he was unprepared to accept at the moment.  
  
 _They are old friends, almost lovers,_ he thought to himself sternly, _and both are now adults. If they wish to resume where they left off, it's none of your business, old man._ But it disturbed him, and the mere fact that it did made the disturbance all the greater.  
  
"You will have a transport ready for you whenever you are tomorrow," the Governor was saying, "and Moshe has been instructed to accompany you. Anything you need at all just have him relay it to me and it will be done."  
  
"Thank you Andrus, we'd like to get an early start tomorrow. Moshe, does that suit you?" Qui-Gon asked.  
  
Before the young man could answer, his stepmother interjected. "Andy, dear, are you quite sure this is the best course of action? I mean, Moshe is just so young for this..."  
  
Instantly Moshe bristled; the Governor turned pleading eyes on him and Obi-Wan placed his hand on his arm. Qui-Gon neatly defused the situation by bowing to Fra Lev. "Moshe and Obi-Wan are old friends, Fra Lev, and I have the utmost faith in him. I'm sure he will do fine, but I thank you for your concern."  
  
The lady subsided, clearly not happy but unwilling to force the issue. The Jedi took their leave and made their way back through the darkness to their hotel, walking briskly in the cool evening air, neither talking, both thinking.  
  
When they entered their rooms, Obi-Wan took his Master's cloak and hung it up carefully with his own, then pulled out their meditation mats. Qui-Gon smiled at his Padawan and said, "you anticipate me, Obi-Wan. This evening has been fraught with tension, and I agree we need to meditate to clear our heads."  
  
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said quietly, coming to kneel on his mat facing his Master, who also knelt.  
  
"Did you come to any conclusions during dinner, Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Oh, yes, Master, the tension and hostility at the table were quite painfully apparent." Obi-Wan composed his mind and body, then looked at his Master seriously. "And Moshe was very upset at the way Fra Lev treated him after we ate. I can't say as I blame him either."  
  
"What happened between the two of you before dinner? You were very subdued when you came to retrieve me."  
  
Obi-Wan frowned slightly and shook his head. "Moshe does not believe that these 'trees' could be sentient," he said. "And according to him, the amatite has been a tremendous boon to this world. The people here now think of themselves as Ulantim, and if Moshe is any indication, will not give over easily."  
  
"Do you think they will resort to violence in any way?"  
  
Thinking over the question carefully, Obi-Wan finally said, "I do not know, my Master. There is not enough data -- yet. I should hope not."  
  
"I should hope not either, Padawan," Qui-Gon answered with a sigh. "I am very proud of you; your conduct tonight was exceptional in the face of some volatile emotions. What is your overall impression of Moshe so far?"  
  
"He is frightened, Master," was the soft reply. "He asked me tonight when we were talking in his bedroom to help his father. I think he believes there is danger here for the Governor."  
  
Qui-Gon looked sharply at his Padawan at the mention of the word 'bedroom', but he did not speak until Obi-Wan was finished. "And what is your impression of the Governor, Padawan?"  
  
"He is not the man I remember, Master." Obi-Wan pursed his lips for a moment, then, when his Master didn't speak, continued. "I have a feeling that his change may be due to his wife."  
  
Sighing, Qui-Gon reluctantly agreed with his student. "Let us meditate on that; clear our heads and then go to our rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day. I want you to pay especially close attention to Moshe and the way he interacts with others tomorrow. I foresee he may well be the key here."  
  
It took both the Jedi some time to quiet their minds, but when they did, deep meditation gave them the peaceful sleep that otherwise might have eluded them.  
  


* * *

  
A rather subdued Lev Moshe arrived as their breakfast did in the morning, just as the two Jedi were cooling down from morning katas. He joined them at their meal after Obi-Wan insisted, but did not eat much. His eyes were sunken and ringed with dark bruises, he clearly had not slept much the night before.  
  
The trip to the other continent took two hours, and Moshe was silent for much of it, to Obi-Wan's distress. When he was quietly asked for advice on how to break through Moshe's depression, Qui-Gon counseled Obi-Wan to be patient. "I think the farther he removes himself from the poisonous atmosphere at his home, the more open he will become," Qui-Gon opined.  
  
So both Jedi spent the time in light meditation, preparing themselves for whatever was to come on landing. After silence for several hours, Moshe finally roused himself from introspection to point out they were crossing fields of shimmer trees.  
  
The area on which the plants grew was a vast, broad, alluvial plain. From the air, the groves resembled nothing so much as piles of broken glass glistening in the sun, so closely were they grouped. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and gently extended his awareness in a preliminary probe, but he felt nothing of any significance, just a slight pulsing.  
  
The transport landed just outside the shut-down mining facility. They were expected; a small group awaited them as the ramp descended. Actually, it was two small groups with a definite space between them, and from the currents in the Force both Jedi quickly ascertained that one group was from the mining consortium and the other was from the Senate Commission. Obi-Wan traded a look and a smile with his Master, so apparent it was that neither side wanted to give the other any advantage. Long accustomed to such nonsense, Qui-Gon (with Obi-Wan one step behind his right shoulder) carefully bowed in greeting to the blank space between the two groups.  
  
"I bring greetings from the Senate," Qui-Gon said formally. "I am Master Jinn; this is my apprentice, Padawan Kenobi. I believe you know Lev Moshe, who is here representing his father the Governor."  
  
From the group on the left emerged a stout, florid man in coveralls, obviously from the mining company. He jerked his head in recognition and said, "I'm Shalm Orris, from Mines. We've been expecting you. I suppose you want to go right out to the site?" Shalm was balding, red faced and squinty eyed, and had a perpetually sour expression on his face.  
  
A short, dark-haired, well-dressed man from the group on the right said, "Of course they do, Shalm. I'm Commissioner Forth, representing the Sentient Species League." He held out his hand and Qui-Gon briefly touched palms with him. "We've arranged for transport, if you'd care to come with me..."  
  
"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you, Forth?" the other man growled, bristling.  
  
"There's room enough for you too, Shalm," Forth snapped in reply.  
  
Qui-Gon held up his hands. "Fre Shalm, Commissioner Forth, please. We should all go together to the site. There is much to do here, and I do not want to keep either of you in limbo longer than necessary."  
  
Mollified, but obviously looking for any excuse to have at each other again, the two parties led the way to the groundcar. Obi-Wan and Moshe brought up the rear, and Obi-Wan touched his friend's arm to get his attention.  
  
"Have they been like this all along?" he asked, indicating the two parties ahead of them.  
  
Moshe smiled grimly. "Oh, this is a cease fire. You should have seen it at the beginning. Fre Shalm is not exactly known for his tact and Forth was -- is -- just SO condescending... looked like a world war there for a while."  
  
"Is Shalm an appointment or was he elected into the position?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.  
  
"Appointed," Moshe answered even more quietly. "He knows his stuff, but his personality leaves much to be desired. The man can give a gundark a headache."  
  
By then they were at the car and couldn't talk privately. The vehicle was large enough for the entire party, somewhat to Shalm's disgruntlement -- it was apparent he was looking for something else to blame on the Commissioner -- and it was a short drive to the mining site. Along the way, Forth pointed out several areas that had already been strip mined, flanked by mounds of dead shimmer trees. Each time he did so, Shalm's jaw tightened.  
  
The shimmer trees were indeed beautiful. Their transport pulled to a stop near a smallish grove and everyone spilled out, Obi-Wan and Moshe last. One thing that hadn't been mentioned in the briefing material was the lovely music the plants produced as wind moved between the leaves. It was much like gentle windchime tones.  
  
Mining equipment and a portable shelter stood to one side of the grove. It was obvious that the grove before them had been next on the schedule to be demolished, and now, seeing the beauty of the plants, Obi-Wan felt a profound sadness. His Master's hand on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie and he turned to look into sad blue eyes, and he new Qui-Gon also felt the loss of the lovely plants.  
  
"I'd like you to go into the shelter and get some background on the ore, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said quietly. "Our briefing material was only sketchy, and I feel we'll need more information on just why the amatite is here."  
  
"Yes, Master. Will you stay here with the officials?"  
  
"I'm going to go into the grove and attempt to meditate. I sense no sentience here per se, do you?"  
  
Frowning, Obi-Wan shook his head in the negative. "No, I don't either. But there is a presence, a very strange feeling tickling the back of my head..."  
  
"Yes, that is all I feel also. Perhaps if I meditate, the Force will make things clearer to me."  
  
The hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder squeezed once, then Qui-Gon turned back to the group. "I have instructed my Padawan to obtain more information on the nature of the amatite and the physical characteristics of these plants. I would like to be left alone for a short time while I do some mental investigations. If you would excuse me?"  
  
Not waiting for an answer, Qui-Gon strode into the grove. Obi-Wan turned to the miner and motioned towards the shelter. "Fre Shalm? If you would be so kind?"  
  
Commissioner Forth accompanied them to the small hut. "I have brought the preliminary data from our own investigation, if you would care to see them," he said to Obi-Wan, who inclined his head in affirmative.  
  
Shalm snorted in derision. "A bunch of hooey. Trees don't talk."  
  
"These aren't trees!" Forth exclaimed testily. "How many times do I have to tell you..."  
  
"Gentlemen, please," Moshe interjected quickly. "Shall we put aside our differences and go inside?"  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at Moshe's diplomacy and followed him and the other two men into the shelter. The small one room shed was filled with drafting tables, charts and small equipment. Shalm immediately went to one large desk and spread some large plasheet forms out, grunting an apology.  
  
"Don't got this place wired for the 'net," he said, "else this'd all be on the dataset. But you can see what you need. What else do you want?"  
  
The charts held information on the location of the amatite, as well as location of all the shimmer trees. They were all color coded and Obi-Wan examined them closely for a few moments, then requested some other information.  
  
He had Moshe get involved in his search as well, having him hunt for bits of information. "What are we looking for?" Moshe whispered at one point, casting a surreptitious glance over his shoulder at the glowering older men.  
  
"Not sure," Obi-Wan murmured back. "The Force will guide me. Can you see if there's an analysis of..." and they were off again.  
  
After a good hour and many, many notes made on his datapad, Obi-Wan straightened and rubbed his eyes. "Fre Shalm," he said quietly, "do you have a sample of one of the shimmer trees you dozed down?"  
  
Ignoring the thunderous expression on the Commissioner's face, Shalm answered, "Sure. You can take as much as you want."  
  
"A small sample, or maybe three or four small samples, would be enough. I' ll also need a small sample of the amatite ore, if that's possible."  
  
Shalm grunted his acknowledgment and used his commlink to call a subordinate with Obi-Wan's request.  
  
"I think I'm done here, and I'd like to check up on Master Jinn," Obi-Wan then said, leaving the shed as the samples were delivered to him. He passed them on to Moshe. "Keep these for me, would you?" he asked quietly, then set off after his Master's aura.  
  
He found Qui-Gon on his knees, meditating, near the center of the grove. His face was peaceful and serene, but his mind was obviously miles away. Taking a position directly in front of his Master, Obi-Wan also kneeled and quieted his mind in order to join his Master in meditation.  
  
Slowly the real world faded around him and he descended into the Moment, sensing the Force flowing strongly all around him. He 'looked' beneath himself to see a glistening latticework of Force lines, winding around and through the base of the shimmer trees. Once again the feeling of a presence was strong, but it was nothing he could put his finger on.  
  
Looking up from the design beneath him, he found his Master's shining Force presence, and was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. As he would physically, Qui-Gon welcomed his Padawan, gently drawing the younger man into his mental embrace. Though no words were spoken, each could feel the thoughts of the other. Qui-Gon had a definite aura of slight disappointment that his meditation had not brought any answers to him. The quicksilver and bright mind of his student also displayed puzzlement, quickly traversing the same paths his Master had in the quest for information.  
  
Just as Qui-Gon was going to withdraw from meditation, there was a bright flare in the latticework beneath the two Jedi. Both of them turned and scanned the area, following a Force signature along the intricate weavings of what were obviously the 'roots' of the shimmer trees. Obi-Wan was physically closer to the area where the flare was, and so realized just nanoseconds before his Master what was happening, and took the brunt of the psychic assault as the shimmer trees screamed. Qui-Gon fairly leapt out of meditation to see his apprentice pass out before him.  
  


* * *

  
Moshe's face blanched at the sight before him, Qui-Gon staggering out of the grove, an unconscious Obi-Wan in his arms. Both groups fairly fell over themselves to make the Jedi comfortable; it was obvious that the Master also was in pretty bad shape, and he sagged to the ground next to where his Padawan was laid down.  
  
"Master Jinn!" Moshe exclaimed, helping the older man to a sitting position.  
  
Qui-Gon held up his hand. "Softly Moshe," he whispered painfully. "Something happened, the shimmer trees..."  
  
Everyone seemed to try to speak at once, and at Qui-Gon's pained wince, Moshe held up his hands. "Sirs, please! I'll explain what happened to Master Jinn, Fre Shalm would you please send for your on-site medic?" With that, Moshe shooed them all off and turned his attention back to his friends. Qui-Gon was slumped over where he sat, one hand holding his head the other reaching for his Padawan. Quickly, Moshe removed his jacket and folded it under Obi-Wan's head, then turned back to the Master.  
  
"The medic should be here soon, sir," he said quietly, "it will be all right."  
  
Obviously still in some pain, Qui-Gon grimaced at the young man. "What happened, Moshe? There was a psychic backlash, Obi-Wan took the brunt of it..."  
  
Moshe flushed. "Fre Shalm and Commissioner Forth got into an argument. I kept trying to intervene but... Shalm kicked a sapling shimmer tree. That one." and the young man pointed to a flattened sapling at the verge of the grove. "I think he was aiming the kick at Forth. I'm not so sure I'm glad he missed."  
  
Still wincing at the pain in his head, Qui-Gon chuckled painfully. "All that for a sapling," he muttered.  
  
The medic arrived at that point, an older woman with a large shoulder pack. It didn't take her long to determine who her patients were. "I don't have a large kit," she started, checking Qui-Gon's eyes and feeling for Obi-Wan's pulse.  
  
"An analgesic," Qui-Gon murmured, "I don't think you have anything else that would help."  
  
"I have treptinol..." the woman said hesitantly. "You're Jedi? This must be psychic backlash again."  
  
"Treptinol is fine," Qui-Gon said. She peeled the backing from the drug patch and applied it to his neck, then did the same with Obi-Wan. The Master hung his head between his knees and sighed as the drug took effect. After a few moments he looked up at the medic. "Thank you. You wouldn't have any besadine or..."  
  
She interrupted him. "No, no, I have nothing on me for shock. Can we get the two of you back to the hospital? There are healers there much better equipped. I'm just an on-site. We can go in my speeder," she added, glowering over her shoulder at the knot of officials still hovering.  
  
"That would be a blessing," Qui-Gon agreed, and made to stand. The medic and Moshe helped him rise and braced him as he wobbled. Moshe intercepted his intent towards the still prone Obi-Wan.  
  
"I'll get Obi," he said firmly, gently pushing the older man towards the speeder. "And I'll take care of those idiots over there too. You just get to the hospital with Obi-Wan and don't worry about the rest."  
  
As gently as he was able, Moshe lifted Obi-Wan and, with the help of a completely subdued and repentant Shalm, got him into a fireman's carry and to the speeder. Depositing his burden gently on Qui-Gon's lap, he said somewhat breathlessly, "I'll meet you at the hospital. Tell Obi he's going to have to go on a diet."  
  
Qui-Gon smiled in thanks at the young man, then wrapped his long arms possessively around the unconscious man in his lap as the speeder accelerated.  
  


* * *

  
Obi-Wan slowly blinked open his eyes to find himself back in a sick room. It could be nothing else, he reflected, for galaxy wide they were all the same -- felt the same, smelled the same, probably even had the same food. He turned his head slightly to see what he knew he would; his Master in a chair next to his bed.  
  
"This is becoming a habit, isn't it?" he asked quietly, grinning.  
  
"I am becoming a bit weary of it, yes," his Master replied, somewhat wryly. "How do you feel?"  
  
After a pause to take assessment, he replied, "a slight headache, but nothing major. What happened?" he asked, carefully pushing himself to a sitting position. Qui-Gon reached over to help him get settled against some pillows.  
  
"Psychic backlash. Seems Fre Shalm got a little peeved at something the Commissioner said and flattened a sapling." He smiled as he watched his Padawan roll his eyes in amused disgust. "You were physically closer to the nexus, so you caught the brunt of it."  
  
"How long have I been out?"  
  
"Just a little while, less than an hour. I expect Moshe will be here any moment to check up on you. He was quite worried."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled warmly at the other young man's name, something that caused his Master some obscure pain. "He's a good man, isn't he?" he said, still smiling.  
  
"Yes," Qui-Gon agreed heavily, "he is. He's turned out well. Do you think you could get up?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.  
  
"Nothing to do but try," Obi-Wan said gamely, swinging his legs over the side of the cot he lay on. Now that he looked around, he realized that he was in some kind of holding ward, for they were just in a small curtained off space and he could hear the murmur of many voices beyond the drapery.  
  
One section of the curtain slid back and a woman in a lab coat came into the space as Obi-Wan sat up. "Ah, good. You were right, Master Jinn, he appears to recoup well. Let's just take a look at you, Padawan," she continued, and Obi-Wan obligingly looked up into her face as she took his head in her hands. "No dizziness? No spots before your eyes? How about nausea or tingling in any extremity?"  
  
"No, no, and no. But I haven't tried to stand yet."  
  
"Well, then let's do so. Carefully, now." Between the doctor and his Master, Obi-Wan stood, swayed slightly, then took a deep breath and straightened his back.  
  
"Still have a ghost of a headache, but otherwise, I feel fine," he said, carefully rotating his head on his neck.  
  
"That's to be expected. Your Master here still has one too. You should be right as rain by tomorrow," she said, making a notation on a datapad that hung from her belt, then removing the medication patches from his neck.  
  
"Thank you, Doctor," Qui-Gon said, bowing slightly to the woman.  
  
She waved him off. "No problem. Wish all my patients were as easy as Jedi. You will come by the ward before you leave?" she asked.  
  
"Of course," he answered, and she was gone. Obi-Wan shot him a curious look.  
  
"There's still one child in shock, apparently from the shimmer trees being cut down," Qui-Gon explained, handing Obi-Wan his cloak. "The doctor asked us to take a look at her."  
  
"Ah. Perhaps a candidate for the Temple?" Obi-Wan asked as they left the curtained area.  
  
"Perhaps," his Master replied, noncommittally. He noticed Moshe waiting for them at the end of the hall, and also noticed the relief and pleasure on both young faces as they saw one another.  
  
"Obi!" Moshe cried, hugging his friend carefully. "Are you all right?"  
  
Hugging back enthusiastically, Obi-Wan laughed. "I'm fine, Mo'. I hope you haven't killed Shalm or Forth..."  
  
Relieved, Moshe laughed too. "Well, not for lack of wanting to. No, they went back to their respective camps. Said to let them know what you want them to do. I think they're quite cowed now. You _sure_ you're all right? Both of you?" he added, looking at Qui-Gon.  
  
"We're fine, Mo'. Little bit of a headache that the doctor says will be gone by tomorrow. Do you still have the samples... and my datapad?"  
  
"Yes, yes, everything's right here," Moshe replied, patting his carrysack. "Haven't let it leave my sight. You ready to go back then?"  
  
"We've got one stop to make, Moshe," Qui-Gon said, putting on hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "The doctor asked us to look in on a child who's still in shock."  
  
"Care to come along, Mo'?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"Umm... if it's all the same to you, no," Moshe responded slowly. "I have a thing about hospitals. I'll wait for you out front."  


* * *

  
The child was in the long term care pediatric ward. It was a bit of a walk from the emergency room where they were; the hospital was new and sprawling but the staff was friendly and recognized Jedi robes, so was also diffident. When they arrived, they found a little girl, about five years old, who lay in a bed far too large for her. She had IVs and feeding tubes surrounding her, and an adult, apparently her mother, slumped in a chair next to her bed. Obi-Wan looked on the parent with sympathetic recognition, seeing in his mind's eye his own Master sitting at his bedside in vigil.  
  
Qui-Gon introduced himself to the mother, gently urging her to stay seated as he squatted by her side, talking quietly. Obi-Wan gingerly seated himself on the side of the bed and took one small limp hand in his, brushing soft brown hair away from the girl's face.  
  
"She's been like this for almost two weeks, sir Jedi," the woman was saying, tears in her voice. "Can you help do you think?"  
  
"I don't know, Fra Innish," Qui-Gon said, taking the woman's hand. "Let us try to see if there's something we can do. There are mind healers on Correllia, which isn't very far, what we can't do perhaps they can." The woman sniffed and nodded at his soothing tone, then Qui-Gon stood. "Why don 't you wait outside, we won't be long."  
  
The woman stood and kissed her daughter on the forehead, then turned to go. Qui-Gon squeezed her shoulder as she passed and she gave him a weak smile, then she was out the door and the Jedi were alone with the child.  
  
"Do you sense anything from her, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked.  
  
"Only very vaguely, Master," was his softly voiced answer, but Obi-Wan did not take his eyes off the girl. "I think if you and I joined and slipped into her mind, we might discern the problem, though."  
  
Qui-Gon studied his apprentice for a moment, an indecipherable expression on his face. Finally, he replied very slowly. "As you think best Obi-Wan. But you must be careful. You are newly recovered from shock; don't allow yourself to go too deep," _in her_ or _in me _Qui-Gon finished silently to himself.  
  
A brilliant smile over the younger man's shoulder made the older's heart thump. "Of course not, Master. You'll need to be careful too."  
  
Qui-Gon perched on the bed behind his apprentice and pulled the young man back into a loose embrace. Obi-Wan never let go the child's hand, and both Master and Padawan quickly sank into a light trance, seeking along the physical connection for the lost mind. The two minds gently merged on upper levels and delicately inserted their joint probe, seeking the cause of the catatonia. To their surprise, the child had quite strong natural shields, which indicated some degree of Force sensitivity. Once past the shields, it was evident what the problem was.  
  
The child's mind was roaring with sound and fury, a shrill cacophony of pain and torment that was obviously a remnant of the psychic backlash from the shimmer trees' destruction. While it should have been released days before, the tight shields surrounding the girl meant that it merely continued to echo in her head, resounding and drowning out any shred of normalcy. She was literally unable to find her way out of her own mind.  
  
In his mind, Obi-Wan clung to the stalwart presence of his Master, and felt embraced on every level, even as his Master's physical arms surrounded him. His voiceless query for guidance was met with a subtle direction 'inwards' while they searched for the core of the little girl lost in the maelstrom.  
  
As in the manner of inner quests, from one second to the next the child was there. She 'stood' surrounded by the noise, her hands pressed to her mental ears. She looked up at the Jedi with wide eyes, recognizing help but unsure how to take it, until Qui-Gon indicated behind her.  
  
Obi-Wan could feel the intent in his Master's mind and reinforced the image; if she were able to lower the shields around her mind, the raucous noise would clear enough for her to return to normal. The image the two Jedi conveyed to her was of a crumbling wall surrounding her, and Qui-Gon began tearing at it with his hands, breaking it down. Suddenly understanding, she lowered her hands and attacked the wall as well.  
  
But when her 'hands' lowered, the noise level increased, and Obi-Wan found himself weakening. It had been too soon since his own brush with the psychic backlash, and though he tried to remain firm, he felt himself sway in reaction. Then Qui-Gon was there, instantly sensing through their connection his Padawan's debilitation and enveloping him in warmth, strength and love, shoring up his resistance and feeding him energy. It was only a momentary problem; quite suddenly the walls were down, the noise ceased, and Obi-Wan slipped back into his conscious body to hear a little girl's giggles and feel warm lips on his.  
  
Qui-Gon was kissing him. The older man's arms were wrapped tenderly and tightly around his chest and their lips were locked together in a kiss that was slowly gaining heat.  
  
Abruptly, the Master came back to himself and broke the clinch, flushing. Obi-Wan did as well, but Qui-Gon saw something in his eyes before they were lowered that caused his stomach to flutter madly.  
  
"I'm hungry. Where's my mom?" a weak little voice asked, breaking the tableau and both men turned, relieved, to the small patient.  
  
Hoarsely, Qui-Gon said, "I'll go get her. Obi-Wan..." His Padawan still had the little girl's hand in his and was still blushing.  
  
__

* * *

__  
The trip back to Primus was a quiet one. Neither Jedi was willing to talk; both were wrapped up in their own contemplation, although Moshe and Obi-Wan had their heads together, talking quietly for part of the journey. Upon their arrival, they immediately went to the Mansion to meet with Governor Lev, as had been arranged. He had heard about the incident at the site and was both furious and solicitous. Qui-Gon reassured him repeatedly that all was well, and eventually he calmed down.  
  
"Will you need to go back out to the site, then, my friend?" the Governor finally asked. They were still standing in his office, Obi-Wan with his head bowed in his normal position behind his Master.  
  
"I don't know, but I don't think so, Andrus," Qui-Gon replied. "Let us go back to our rooms and rest, then look over what we have found tomorrow. I' ll contact you sometime after noon, if that's all right with you."  
  
"Yes! Yes, that's fine," the Governor said hastily. "Take as long as you need."  
  
Moshe drove them back to their hotel, stubbornly refusing to allow them to walk. He gave both of them a smile as they left the speeder, then the Jedi were alone with each other again.  
  
Once inside their rooms, Obi-Wan made to collect their robes and start tea, but Qui-Gon forestalled him. "Don't worry about that," he said, touching his Padawan's arm. "We need to talk, Obi-Wan. Come sit down."  
  
They sat together on the small sofa and Obi-Wan carefully avoided looking into his Master's eyes, something which disturbed the older man. "Obi-Wan," he began, "I wanted to apologize for what happened at the hospital..."  
  
A smile interrupted him. "Oh, Master, don't worry about it. I understand, it was a perfectly natural reaction to the stressors we were under."  
  
Qui-Gon blinked in surprise. "You weren't... bothered by it then?" he asked faintly.  
  
The younger man's ears tinged pink and he looked down at the cushion on which he sat. "Well, no, I guess not. It's all right, really it is. And..."  
  
Still a bit nonplused at his apprentice's easy acceptance of the intimacy they had shared -- an intimacy Qui-Gon found himself craving more of -- the Master prompted him to continue with an inarticulate sound.  
  
Obi-Wan grinned lopsidedly. "And, well, it's not as if, I mean..." he hesitated, clearly flustered. A glance up at his Master's gentle expression of affection gave him the impetus to finally finish, in a rush, "...I mean it' s not as if I've never been kissed or anything, I'm hardly a blushing virgin... I mean..."  
  
Swallowing against a lump in his throat, Qui-Gon smiled weakly. "I know, Obi-Wan, I know. I'm sorry, I'm keeping you from your rest." He stood quickly, not exactly certain what he wanted in the first place but positive this was not it. He reached out a hand and caressed Obi-Wan's jaw in passing, and said, "sleep well, Padawan," as he went to his own room and closed the door.  
  
For himself, Obi-Wan watched the door to his Master's room close with bewilderment and despair. _Way to go, Kenobi,_ he thought derisively to himself, _you surely blew it that time. 'Hardly a blushing virgin' indeed._ Chuckling bitterly, the Padawan made his way to his own bed and his own frustrated rest.  
  
_ _

* * *

__  
The next morning was spent in analysis of their findings and in meditation to determine exactly what had happened at the grove when the shimmer trees had 'screamed' so loudly. "In a way, Shalm did us a favor then," Obi-Wan said at one point, grinning wryly to his Master.  
  
"You mean we might not have had all this data if you hadn't passed out?" Qui-Gon retorted, looking aghast at his student. "I hardly think suffering the way we did constitutes a favor, Obi-Wan."  
  
Obi-Wan laughed. "No, I suppose not. But I don't think our conclusions would have been quite so complete without it!"  
  
By lunch time, they had completed everything and documented their findings. This was sent via tight-beam to the Council, which was also informed of the presentation they intended to make. Also sent to the Council was word of the child they had helped; she would need to be tested and possibly brought to the Temple. Then the Governor's office was contacted. Oddly, Fra Lev responded to their query to speak to the Governor.  
  
"He's in a meeting at the moment, Qui-Gon," she said with an uninvited familiarity which had Obi-Wan rolling his eyes and his Master suppressing a frown of displeasure.  
  
"Please ask him to contact me at his earliest convenience, Fra Lev," Qui-Gon responded, refusing to descend to the woman's level. "And ask him if he would mind calling a meeting with all interested parties to discuss our findings."  
  
Her face, which had fallen at Qui-Gon's use of her title rather than her name, perked up at that. "Ah, then you've realized the truth! It will be so wonderful to stop this horrific mining procedure. I just knew a man of your stature would be able to make this divination," she gushed, clearly fishing for a response.  
  
Qui-Gon was not giving an inch. Inclining his head slightly, he said, "That remains to be seen of course, Fra Lev. I look forward to hearing from the Governor." With that, he cut the transmission.  
  
"I am beginning to agree with Moshe on that woman," Obi-Wan growled, pouring tea for their lunch.  
  
Taking his place at their small table, Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at his student. "There is no Darkness in her, Obi-Wan," he said, only a hint of humor showing in his eyes. "She may be obnoxious, rude, impertinent and devious, but she is not evil."  
  
Obi-Wan was unable to hold back his laughter at that assessment. "As you say, my Master," he responded, still chuckling as he began to eat.  
  
Before their lunch was cleared away, the Governor was calling them, apologizing for not being available sooner. Qui-Gon waved off his apologies, smiling. "Please Andrus, it's not a problem in any way. Do you have time on your calendar to meet with us perhaps this afternoon? And can we get Fre Shalm and Commissioner Forth involved as well?"  
  
The Governor frowned and looked off screen, obviously consulting his calendar. "Qui-Gon, I wish I could make it earlier, but half-past four is the best I can do. Would that be all right?"  
  
Inclining his head, Qui-Gon assented. "Of a certainty. We are at your command, Andrus."  
  
Governor Lev laughed at that, and Qui-Gon was pleased to see some of the signs of strain leave his face. "Oh, I wouldn't say that, Qui-Gon! But thank you. And I'll see you here then. My secretary will be waiting for you and will bring you to the conference room. Just let her know if there's anything you'll need."  
  
When Qui-Gon turned from the dataset, he found all traces of their lunch gone and Obi-Wan just finishing tidying up the suite. He smiled at his industrious Padawan... a rather sad smile but a warm one too. "We are free for at least four hours, Obi-Wan," he said quietly. "Do you have anything you'd like to do?"  
  
Obi-Wan didn't turn to look at his Master, he wasn't sure he would be able to keep from projecting what he really wanted to do. Simply spending time with the man he most desired would not be considered a good use of his time by his teacher, he supposed sadly.  
  
"I'd like to see if Moshe is free, actually, Master," he finally said, still puttering aimlessly. "It looks as though we may be done here soon, and I'd like to spend more time with him if I may."  
  
Qui-Gon squashed incipient disappointment and merely said, "as you would like, Padawan. I'll expect you back here at four, however."  
  
Finally, Obi-Wan stopped moving and faced his Master, bowing deferentially. "Of course," he murmured. The two men stared at one another for a moment, then Obi-Wan turned and left the suite. Qui-Gon sank down on his meditation mat with a heavy sigh and prepared to purge his inappropriate emotions severely.  
  
_ _

* * *

__  
Half way through the afternoon, Qui-Gon was drawn out of meditation by a beeping from the room's dataset. It was the Council, in the form of Mace Windu, and the Master internally sighed.  
  
"Yes, Mace, what can I do for you?" he asked, taking a seat and making himself comfortable for the long haul.  
  
"The Council has read your report, Qui-Gon," Mace said, "and has a few questions. You haven't made your presentation yet, have you?"  
  
"No, no, I've got a couple more hours. How can I help?"  
  
Mace smiled and said, "Relax, Qui-Gon. We don't dispute your findings in the least. You and your Padawan have done a remarkable job in a very short time."  
  
Qui-Gon laughed shortly. "Now there's a first, a compliment from the Council."  
  
Chuckling, Mace said, "Oh, that was from me. The Council of course is outraged and infuriated at your conclusions... we're getting a lot of heat from the Sentient Species League you understand."  
  
Shaking his head Qui-Gon said mildly, "Just exactly to whom do the Jedi report, Mace? Are we now reduced to groveling before every pontificating group that comes along?"  
  
"You're preaching to the choir, old friend," Mace said, throwing up his hands in mock defense. "I don't like it any more than you do. It's politics, pure and simple. The SSL has some powerful friends in the Senate, and we just need to be certain we have every possible question covered."  
  
Nodding and sighing, Qui-Gon agreed. "I understand. We have absolutely no doubts. Obi-Wan makes a good devil's advocate, and we looked at this data from all possible sides. The conclusion is undeniable."  
  
Mace nodded. "Good. From what I see in a quick perusal, it will hold up to scrutiny. I just wanted to give you a warning over what you might be facing at your briefing of the planetary government. Now, about this child you've recommended...?"  
  
"That should be handled delicately, Mace," Qui-Gon said seriously. "The girl was in a catatonic state for nearly two weeks. If she is candidate material, her parents may not want to let her go."  
  
"Fine, fine. I'll send Master Jemath and her Padawan. They're our best at this sort of thing. How much longer do you think you'll be?"  
  
Thinking for a moment, Qui-Gon answered, "I don't know for certain, a lot depends on the briefing this afternoon. But I expect we can return within a day or so. Why?" Qui-Gon scowled suspiciously at his friend. "Don't tell me you've got yet another mission lined up for us!?"  
  
Mace laughed out loud at that, throwing his hands up again. "Oh, no, no, I promise. I've been taking a lot of questions from teaching Master Gib-Wahl about some debate or other. Do you know anything about it?"  
  
Qui-Gon threw his head back and laughed.  
  
_ _

* * *

__  
Moshe and Obi-Wan appeared precisely at four. They were in high spirits and although Qui-Gon was happy to his the son of his friend relaxed and happy, he looked upon his Padawan's elation with a modicum of melancholy. He forced himself to pull out of his depression and composed himself for the ordeal ahead.  
  
By half past four, the Jedi and the Lev family -- including Fra Lev to Moshe' s displeasure -- sat in the Governor's conference room waiting for the satellite hook-up that would bring Fre Shalm and Commissioner Forth virtually into the room. Qui-Gon would have preferred some private time with the Governor before the meeting to discuss his findings, but it was not possible. The man's wife clung to him and insisted on being present at every turn.  
  
Once everything was ready, Qui-Gon stood and moved to the head of the table. Obi-Wan sat beside him, ready to feed him information and to place their findings in the datasets before all participants.  
  
"Thank you all for being here," Qui-Gon opened, looking about the room. By dint of holographic projection, it appeared that both Shalm and Forth sat at the large council table with them, although they were hundreds of miles away. "A bit of background is in order, if you'll indulge me.  
  
"The Jedi order was asked by members of the Senate, at the urging of the Sentient Species League, to investigate charges of possible genocide on this planet. When the Ulantim --" a soft gasp from next to him caused Obi-Wan to turn and grin at his friend, "-- began mining the amatite that is present beneath the vegetative species colloquially known as shimmer trees, psychic backlash from the mentally audible 'scream' of the species caused certain Force sensitive beings to regress into catatonic shock. Having been inadvertently subjected to this phenomenon, my Padawan and I are intimately aware of the strength of the reaction."  
  
Qui-Gon looked down at Obi-Wan and smiled, and was met with a wry grin in return. "Be that as it may, Force awareness does not automatically convey sentience. Nor does a vegetative species automatically preclude intelligence. There are myriad precedents for both.  
  
"Appearing on your datasets now is a complete analysis of the so-called shimmer trees. As you can see, they are primarily composed of silicon with trace elements. There is no cerebral matter present in any individual 'tree ' -- a naming convention I will adhere to for the sake of clarity -- because they really are not individual. Each _grove_ is individual. The trees are merely photosynthaic appendages for the main body of the plant, which lies underground."  
  
Obi-Wan replaced the chemical analysis with a magnetic resonance image of the main system of a grove. "As you can see in this picture, vegetative tendrils carrying electrochemical signals, very similar to our nerves, descend from each tree and are intertwined below ground into a primitive central nervous system. Although it shares many traits with a vegetative brain, it is not. It is merely a nexus. The central nexus is what experiences any damage done to any appendage, or tree. And it is the central nexus that generated the Force attack whenever any appendage was damaged.  
  
"HA!" Commissioner Forth exclaimed, leaping to his feet so fast that the holo transmitter momentarily cut off his head. "I knew it! I told you, you cultural dinosaur..."  
  
Qui-Gon rapped his knuckles on the table sharply. "Commissioner, please. I am not finished. If you would take your seat?"  
  
Waiting until the man had regained his seat, Qui-Gon continued. "As I was saying. This nexus does resemble certain vegetative central nervous systems closely. However, certain key elements are notable by their absence; a hypothalamus, higher functional areas, et cetera. Specifically, when my Padawan and I attempted mental communion with the grove, we received no response.  
  
"Because of this, and for other reasons I will go into shortly, it is our conclusion that the shimmer tree groves are not sentient, and will not become sentient in the foreseeable future."  
  
"WHAT?" The high pitched shriek came, oddly enough, from Fra Lev. Her face had gone ashen and her hand fluttered at her throat. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon shared puzzled looks then turned back to the table. Her outburst had momentarily silenced the others, but as she slumped back in her chair the others immediately began asking questions, a babble of voices that drowned everything else out.  
  
Once again rapping his knuckles on the table, Qui-Gon waited for the chatter to die down. Before he could speak, Fre Shalm's gravelly voice filled the room. "Then we can start the mining again. Good," was all he said, but his eyes gleamed and his mouth turned up into a sneer as he looked over at the Commissioner, who was still apparently flabbergasted.  
  
"Actually," Qui-Gon said, "you may wish to wait until you hear the rest of our analysis, Fre Shalm."  
  
"You mean there's MORE?" the Commissioner said, finally coming out of his shock. "I'll... I'll have your HEADS for this Jedi! I cannot believe you would throw in with the commercialization interests...!" he rounded on Fra Lev at this point, pointing a shaking finger at her. "This is all YOUR fault you meddlesome, avaricious bitch!"  
  
Caught between alarm and hilarity at the situation, Obi-Wan looked to his Master for guidance. Qui-Gon was the epitome of Jedi serenity, although a slight twitch in his jaw told tales to his Padawan. He pressed a button on the holo controls, and suddenly Commissioner Forth's voice was cut off. All the other participants looked shocked for a moment, then looked up to Qui-Gon.  
  
"Commissioner Forth seems to have forgotten he's here via holoprojection. He can hear us, but we can no longer hear him. I shall continue." From the other side of the table from Obi-Wan, the small dark haired man continued to rant silently. The Padawan heard Moshe, sitting next to him, desperately trying to choke back giggles. "The shimmer trees do not project any type of sentience, and do not appear to be in the early stages of evolving towards sentience. Perhaps in another few millennia, but that is rather doubtful given our present evolutionary models.  
  
"However, there is another factor to take into consideration here. There appears to be a symbiotic relationship between the shimmer trees and the amatite, one that my Padawan and I spent some time on. It was Obi-Wan who finally made the connection, and I'd like him to explain it to the group. Obi-Wan?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked up in surprise, he hadn't known his Master was going to do this and he was a bit taken aback. But one look into the warm blue eyes was all it took for him to regain his confidence. He stood and bowed to his mentor, then nodded to the table, even including the still silently fuming Commissioner from the Sentient Species League. As Qui-Gon replaced him at his seat, he began to speak.  
  
"As Fre Shalm is aware, amatite is an oxygenated alloy of silicon. It is not normally found 'in the wild' as it were, and hardly ever in such purity or concentrate. This bothered me, even though I knew the shimmer trees were predominantly silicate life forms. It wasn't until I finished a complete metallurgical analysis of both the amatite and the shimmer trees though that I realized the truth.  
  
"Sometimes," and here he smiled down at his teacher, "we can't see the answer because we don't understand -- or don't ask -- the question. Everyone was expecting the trees to be somehow using the amatite, but I have been told many times that leaping to conclusions is quite often a good way of leaping to death, so I sought other explanations.  
  
"The 'tree' part of the grove is, as my Master has said, a photosynthaic appendage. The 'leaves' of the 'trees' absorb sunlight and oxygen from the surrounding environment and convert it to energy. What energy is not needed, is exuded.  
  
"There is evidence on the alluvial plain where the shimmer trees predominate that groves have died out; these were the first places where amatite was found, and it was found in large, concentrated quantities. It was actually because of this concentrate that the grove above it died out."  
  
Moshe had been listening avidly, his jaw dropping more with every word. Finally, he couldn't stand it any longer and burst out, "Little green gods, Obi! You can't possibly mean..."  
  
Fighting to hold back a large grin, Obi-Wan turned to his friend. "Yes, Moshe, that's exactly what I mean. The amatite is the grove's fecal matter."  
  
Stunned silence at the table for a moment, then Fre Shalm bellowed, "You mean these damn trees shit amatite?! I do NOT believe this!"  
  
Recognizing how precarious his Padawan's serenity was at the moment, Qui-Gon stood and relieved the young man, who sat next to the silently shaking Moshe and did unobtrusive deep breathing exercises to calm down. Qui-Gon then reactivated the sound for the Commissioner's holoprojection, for by that time the man was stunned silent.  
  
Clearing his throat, Qui-Gon looked around the table. The Commissioner was dazed; Fre Shalm was muttering angrily to himself; Moshe was still quietly laughing; the Governor was frowning thunderously and his wife was silently sobbing. "I believe then, that the next step would be to work on methods of harvesting the amatite without harming the shimmer trees. With a little bit of work, the Ulantim and the shimmer trees could have a splendidly working symbiosis. It will be more expensive than strip mining, but in the long run, much more profitable."  
  
Once again, Qui-Gon bowed to the table. "We will, of course, have complete briefing materials for all of you. On behalf of the Jedi and the Senate, we thank you for calling us into such an... interesting... investigation." With those words, Qui-Gon tucked his hands into his sleeves and stepped away from the table, returning to his seat next to the Governor and ceding control of the meeting to him.  
  
With one last glare at his wife, Governor Lev stood. "If neither of you two gentlemen have any questions, I declare this meeting over. Shalm, I'll expect to see you in my office here tomorrow. Is that clear? And Commissioner Forth, I'll expect you'll be wanting transport for you and your people off the planet immediately. I'll see to it personally."  
  
The veiled threat in those words was not lost on the Commissioner. He opened his mouth to speak, glared briefly at an oblivious Fra Lev, then subsided, nodding curtly. With a quick, off camera movement, his image abruptly faded. Shalm nodded once to the Governor and to Qui-Gon, then barked a laugh. "Be damned, Andy, didn't expect that. I'll see you in your office tomorrow. Thanks for your help, Jedi," he finished gruffly, then his image faded as well.  
  
"I expect that's the closest you'll get to an apology from him, Qui-Gon," the Governor said wryly. "Sorry about that."  
  
Qui-Gon smiled back. "Don't worry about it, Andrus. I didn't expect it either, to say truth."  
  
"I suppose this is one of those classic 'good news/bad news' situations then, Da?" Moshe asked, wiping tears from his eyes as he finally got himself under control. "But more good news than bad, actually."  
  
His stepmother's tears were of a whole different kind, and she huddled to herself tightly. "All gone," she whispered, and Moshe turned to her, frowning.  
  
"Lady Mother?" he asked, gently.  
  
"Oh, Moshe, I've been such a fool. I was so certain that the shimmer trees were sentient, that they would be my ticket to Coruscant... can you ever forgive me? Andy, I'm so sorry..."  
  
Not looking at his wife, the Governor spoke tightly. "You were expecting to be made Senator representing them, weren't you? Isn't that what Forth promised you?"  
  
She gasped and just tightened her arms around herself. "You knew," she whispered.  
  
"I suspected," was her reply. "But I hoped... this is a deep betrayal, Tighna. I don't know that I'll be able to..." the Governor swallowed hard, his hands forming into fists on the table.  
  
Unexpectedly, it was Moshe who came to his stepmother's defense. "It was an honest mistake, Da," he said, ignoring the incredulous and grateful look Fra Lev shot him. "We'll get through this, somehow."  
  
Qui-Gon took that as his cue to leave. He stood, catching his Padawan's eye, and rested his hand on his friend's shoulder. "We'll leave you now, Andrus, but you know where to find me if you need me, for whatever reason."  
  
"Thank you, Qui-Gon," the big man replied. Collecting his apprentice, the Jedi quietly left the family alone to talk.  
  
_ _

* * *

__  
The next few days were a whirlwind of work for all concerned. The Jedi worked with Shalm on ways to extract the amatite safely, the Commission withdrew (not without threats, but Qui-Gon reassured the Governor that the Jedi Council was -- at least unofficially -- on their side), and plans were made for trip back to Coruscant. To Obi-Wan's surprise and consternation, Qui-Gon encouraged him to spend more time with Moshe before they left, and he didn't really understand his teacher's motivation. The day they left he found out the reason.  
  
The entire Lev family saw them off at the space port. A subdued Fra Lev begged their forgiveness for her behavior and was easily absolved. It was obvious that Moshe had made peace with her too, and the while family appeared happier. Obi-Wan hugged Moshe tightly and kissed him before following his Master aboard the shuttle, a smile still on his face.  
  
"I think I'll be coming back here before too long, Master," Obi-Wan observed, stowing gear preparatory to lift off.  
  
"I expect you will, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said, his heart heavy at the thought.  
  
"You didn't meet Kirin, did you?" Obi-Wan said, glancing at his Master. "We didn't get a chance to introduce you, and she was only here the one night. From the fatuous look on Moshe's face when he looks at her, I'd say bonding bells are in the near future for him!"  
  
Qui-Gon looked at Obi-Wan sharply. "What did you say, Padawan?" he asked, frowning.  
  
"I said, I think I'll be back here soon to attend Moshe's bonding. He asked if I could be first witness... I'd love to but I told him I couldn't promise..." Obi-Wan trailed off, blinking at the strange expression on Qui-Gon's face. "What? I'm sorry you didn't meet Kirin but..."  
  
Through a strangled voice, Qui-Gon said, "I thought... you and Moshe..."  
  
Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to gape. "Master! You thought we were...?" Suddenly the dawn broke for the young man and he laughed. " _That's_ why you've been pushing me at him! Oh, Master," he teased with a grin, "what have I told you about leaping to conclusions?" _Besides,_ he thought silently to himself, _my heart's already given to another._  
  
Both eyebrows raising to his hairline, Qui-Gon burst out laughing. "I'm certain you've said the same things your exceedingly wise teacher has told you, Obi-Wan. I'm sorry. Perhaps I can make it up to you with a discussion on Malastairian politics on our way back to Coruscant. After all, you DO have a debate scheduled when you get back..."  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes grew large and despairing. "Oh, no, Master, please..."_ _


End file.
